The night in the Forest of Gloom was as thick as indelible ink. The blue brick walls of Stonewatch shone with a cold, hard light under the moon. The greenskin guards on the wall had already changed shifts, and only scattered torchlight flickered between the battlements. The air was filled with the mellow fragrance of mushroom wine and the metallic scent of iron.
No one noticed that in the corner of the warehouse floor, a loose blue brick was slowly protruding upward, fine dirt crumbling down to reveal a small hole just large enough for a ratman to squeeze through.
Several emaciated slave rats poked their heads out of the hole, their small eyes full of vigilance. Their noses twitched rapidly, sniffing the surrounding air.
Only after confirming there was no scent of greenskins did they cautiously crawl out, expertly pushing aside the weeds around the entrance to make space for those behind them.
Next, a tall figure bent down and emerged—it was Iuka. He had shed his heavy fine iron armor, wearing only light leather armor, yet his figure still seemed somewhat furtive. His gray fur shone with a cold light under the moon, and he gripped a poisoned dagger, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's.
Several Skaven stood motionless by the hole.
"Useless trash! Hurry, hurry up!" Iuka hissed under his breath, kicking away the slave rat blocking the entrance.
These small, slave rats were specifically chosen by him; they were small targets and quick movers, perfect for infiltration and reconnaissance.
His purpose for coming was to verify Snitch's words—whether the greenskin tribe was truly as wealthy as rumored, and whether it was worth the Clan launching a full-scale attack.
After crawling out of the hole, Iuka finally understood why the slave rats in front of him had suddenly stopped.
The warehouse before him was far more astonishing than he had imagined—it wasn't a common wooden shed or Kurzadh house, but a sturdy building constructed of bricks. The walls were smooth and flat, and the cement between the bricks was solidified like rock, clearly offering fire and moisture resistance far superior to wood and stone.
The warehouse door was made of heavy elm wood and secured with an iron lock, but the greenskins had carelessly leaned it against the wall, clearly not taking "thieves" seriously.
Iuka waved his hand, and the slave rats immediately understood, pushing the large door open softly.
The door hinge let out a faint "Creak" that was exceptionally clear in the silent night. Iuka held his breath and tightened his grip on the dagger, only following them into the warehouse after confirming there was no movement nearby.
The moment Iuka entered the warehouse, his eyes instantly lit up—the interior was spacious enough to hold hundreds of Skaven. Rows of wooden shelves were neatly arranged, piled high with all sorts of goods. The light from the mushroom lamps (oil that the greenskins refined from mushrooms for easy retrieval, similar to kerosene lamps) illuminated the "treasure" before him:
On the shelves nearest the entrance were bundles of clean, white human linen, the fabric soft and smooth, clearly high-grade goods transported from Katushir or Prince Patton's Fiefdom. Wooden crates next to them were filled with golden wheat, the grains plump and emitting a faint wheat aroma.
Several massive ceramic jars held black mushroom spirits and green mushroom beer; the liquids were clear, and the aroma of the alcohol was so rich it made one immediately want a drink. There were also several baskets of fresh vegetables—carrots, potatoes, and cabbages—all fresh food s rarely seen in underground caves. There was even a small basket of red strawberries, clearly acquired by the greenskins specifically from human caravans.
Moving further in, the goods on the shelves became even more precious: piles of iron materials, glistening with a cold light, were neatly stacked in the corner—all high-grade fine iron exchanged from the Gezhik dwarves.
Hanging on the wooden rack next to them were dozens of iron axes, spears, and shortswords; the axe blades were sharp, and the spear tips gleamed coldly, clearly well-forged weapons. There were also various dwarven tools—iron pots, bowls, and ladles, Kurzadh grinders, and copper kettles—each item finely crafted, hundreds of times better than the rusty junk found in the Squeak Clan.
What excited Iuka the most were the items at the very back of the shelves—a piece of elven runic armor glowing with a faint blue light. The plates were thin yet hard, engraved with complex elven runes, clearly providing magical protection.
There were several bolts of brightly colored elven woven fabric, embroidered with exquisite patterns, feeling as fine as silk. There was even an elven shortbow, its body made of unknown wood and its string of silver-white sinew, with several gem-inlaid arrows hanging from it.
"Hiss..." Iuka couldn't help but gasp, his eyes filled with greed, saliva practically dripping from his mouth.
He had never seen so many valuable goods in his life—human cloth and grain, dwarven iron and weapons, elven magical equipment. Bringing back just one of these items could earn him extremely high prestige in the Clan, let alone an entire warehouse full!
He finally understood that Snitch hadn't lied—this greenskin tribe was indeed astonishingly wealthy. The ability to build a blue brick warehouse and stockpile so many goods from various races was proof of their immense strength and resources.
If they could capture this place, the Squeak Clan would not only solve their food shortage problem but also acquire a large amount of weapons and equipment. They could even use these resources to unify the surrounding ratman Clans and become the most powerful force in the mountains of the Borderlands!
But Iuka quickly calmed down.
He knew this was the heartland of the greenskins . There were surely greenskin patrols around the warehouse, and if they were exposed, none of them would be able to escape.
The most important thing now was to confirm the intelligence, return and report back to his father, the Clan Leader, and have the Clan dispatch the main force before they could claim this wealth for themselves.
"Don't move!" Iuka ordered in a low voice, his gaze sweeping over the slave rats beside him—the little creatures were staring at the food on the shelves, their throats making "Gurgling" sounds, clearly overcome by hunger.
Fearing the slave rats might lose control, he quickly added, "Wait until we return with the main army, and all this stuff will be ours! If anyone dares to sneak a bite now, I'll throw him to the greenskins' squig!"
The slave rats lowered their heads in terror, no longer daring to look at the food on the shelves.
Iuka nodded in satisfaction, took a final look at the goods in the warehouse, memorized the location and quantity of every item, and then turned to walk toward the hole.
The slave rats followed closely behind him, quickly scurrying back into the hole.
Iuka was the last to leave.
After crawling into the hole, he specifically instructed the slave rats to replace the loose blue brick and cover the traces with weeds and dirt, ensuring the greenskins wouldn't discover it.
Having done all this, he led the slave rats in a rapid retreat along the tunnel, his heart filled with anticipation for the future—capturing the greenskin tribe, seizing all the wealth, and becoming the most dazzling new star of the Squeak Clan!
He failed to notice that the moment he turned around, one tiny, slave rat had secretly hidden behind the shelves, not following the others into the tunnel.
This slave rat was skin and bones, its leather armor already ragged, and its stomach rumbling loudly with hunger.
Inside the warehouse just now, seeing the golden wheat, fresh vegetables, and sweet strawberries, it could no longer suppress its inner greed. It had secretly stayed behind while Iuka wasn't paying attention.
Only when the footsteps in the warehouse completely disappeared did the slave rat poke its head out from behind the shelves, its small eyes full of excitement and avarice.
It quickly ran to the wooden crate filled with wheat, grabbed a handful, and shoved it into its mouth. The golden grains carried a faint wheat aroma, and as it chewed, it couldn't help but let out a satisfied "Squeak."
After eating a few mouthfuls of wheat, it ran to the basket of strawberries, grabbed a bright red berry, and swallowed it whole.
The sweet juice burst in its mouth, making it instantly forget its fear and Iuka's threats. All that remained in its eyes was the food before it.
Like a maniac, it grabbed a handful of wheat one moment, gnawed on a potato the next, and then licked the beer from a ceramic jar. An astonishing appetite erupted from its tiny body, and soon its belly was round and bloated.
The torches in the warehouse gradually dimmed, their flickering light reflecting on the slave rat's satisfied face.
Meanwhile, in the tunnel, Iuka was rapidly retreating with the slave rats, his mind full of plans for the future, completely unaware that the most inconspicuous slave rat was missing from his group.